at the academy
I feel at this point I really need to publicly thank the person who has betaed the past few chapters, Joker619
Excellent display Arisawa-san" the current hakuda instructor complemented Tatsuki as she returned to her place in line. She chose to ignore the glares from the other students, she didn't really care about the jealousy her being better than them was causing.
"So, do you still think I'm not good enough to have a match against you, even though I'm a commoner and a girl to boot?" Tatsuki asked the young man she had just finished with.
"Watch your tongue peasant, I'm from the house of Ottori, even someone as low as you should recognise one of the four great houses." he spat back
"There will be none of that." the instructor interrupted "You will all be judged based on ability alone. Just being born into a house known for its high reiryoku and political standing won't get you a pass. Now, class dismissed but I would like to talk with you before you go Arisawa-san."
The instructor waited for the class to leave before speaking again.
"While it's fine to give training your all, you might want to avoid nobles like him outside of class, the nobility have a lot of clout. That said, don't worry about the Ottori's causing trouble for you, they don't have any power with the academy."
"But someone I know was able to enter a division without taking the final tests." Tatsuki stated thinking back to a conversation she and Rukia had while Ichigo was away, reuniting with his sword of all things, she still didn't get that bit.
"Ah you're talking about Kuchiki Rukia aren't you? Well, the Kuchiki's are a very different story. If you're unlucky enough to run across a Kuchiki like that you might want to watch it. But the main clan still won't get involved except in major cases." the man replied.
"But I thought all of the great houses where equal?" she asked. At least that's what the class on soul society: politics and society had taught them.
"Now we're getting onto more advanced stuff we don't have time to cover between lessons. You're a friend of Kurosaki right? Try asking him it will probably be one of the first things he learns." he replied.
"I don't like the idea of kneeling and scraping to anyone just because they were born in a different family to me, even if they are a Kuchiki. Where I'm from you need to earn that sort of respect." she said stubbornly.
The instructor laughed, "and many would agree with you, but just remember that the great clans already HAVE earned it. Don't worry about it too much, if you DO run into a Kuchiki like that let me know, because that's not how our clan works, or any of the great clans for that matter. But you WILL need to look out for the minor clan members that hang around with them, they don't have the same rules and standards as us, and if it all goes to hell mention Kurosaki Ichigo but not too much. Now get going before you're late."
Tatsuki rushed out the door for her next class understanding why the man had introduced himself to the class as "Instructor". if he hadn't he would have been hounded with questions and never gotten anything done, but she couldn't figure out why someone from such a high ranking clan was working as a TEACHER of all things, hopefully Ichigo could answer but first she had more lessons to get through.
"How many times do I have to tell you to slow down and focus Asano-san?" instructor Kato, the first year second class zanjutsu instructor.
"Sorry sir…" Keigo replied, having just attempted a series of high level forms at speed "it's just that it looks easy, but I guess it's not is it?"
"No, it's not," the man answered with a smile "but don't worry too much, you've only just started and it normally takes decades to master any one style of blade work. Only someone like a taicho or as old and experienced will fully know more than one style, unless they are a genius in this area. We will be teaching you the basics of several different types of zanjutsu so you can adapt to different opponents and, in time, develop an individual style for your shikai"
"Yes sir. It's just that someone I know is already a Shinigami, a powerful one, and I want to be able to help them sooner rather than later." he continued.
"Best not to mention him in front of you fellow students if you can help it," Kato answered quietly "I do understand how you feel, but in truth, you will probably never reach his level. That friend of yours is pushing the limits of what it means to be a Shinigami in ways never seen before." he responded.
"So there's nothing I can do…" Keigo said sadly.
"Not true, let me tell you about how this academy was formed. Shortly after the invention of the Zanpakuto a man discovered shikai and then in time, bankai. That man knew if he didn't pass on what he knew it would disappear, so he founded this school and was a teacher here for several hundred years. He did this at the same time he was forming the Gotei 13. You probably know I'm talking about the sou-taicho; he and your friend have a lot of things in common. They can be best likened to explorers who are always pushing the edges of the map back or filling in the blanks but they can only show the way. If no one follows the paths they discover or uses what they find, everything they have accomplished in life will be wasted. It can be just as hard or even harder to follow in someone's footsteps, when they set out no one knew what they might find, but when they come back with fantastic tales no one really believes them. It can be even harder to follow that map when even you don't really believe it either, Yamamoto sou-taicho had Ukitake-taicho Kyōraku -taicho and the former taicho of the tenth Shiba-taicho following behind him. You're already filling the same role with your friend; best not let him down eh?" Kato answered enthusiastically.
Keigo nodded in agreement and retook his stance
"Now remember, slow down and think, speed and power will come with time, but you're taking the long hard route if you don't master the basics. That goes for all of you!" Kato shouted to the class.
"So, anything interesting happen to you today Asano-san?" Mizuiro said as he sat down to dinner, ignoring his companion's usual screeching. It was the end of the first day of lessons and Mizuiro, Keigo and Tatsuki had all decided it would be best if they stuck together, at least for the time being.
"Turns out my substitute teacher is a Kuchiki" Tatsuki answered.
"Kuchiki? As in Kuchiki Rukia's family?" Mizuiro asked
"Yea, apparently they're a big noble family of some sort. The class went over it in the first period, which was lucky, because I had no idea about it and some guy tried to give me some trouble in hakuda."
"So what's someone like him doing working as a teacher?" Keigo asked
"Beats me, but he said Ichigo would be able to tell us, he also said not to mention him too much." Tatsuki replied
"Why's that?" Mizuiro asked
"Not a clue." Tatsuki replied
"It's because he has a well-known dislike of the nobility and if it becomes common knowledge you know him, a good deal of the clans will try and cause trouble for you to try and get to him. Well, they will if they are stupid, you couldn't pay me to cross the Kuchiki's, the man who beat Aizen, and has the loyalty of enough of the military that if the government exiled him or something else it would cause a civil war." a new voice interrupted.
The three friends turned around to see a young girl that looked about their age with blonde hair and European features.
"Hi I'm Alice Fontaine." the newcomer said
"That's an interesting name, and you don't say it like everyone else does" Tatsuki replied
"I'm French."
"Hey that's cool, I haven't seen many people from outside japan or china around here so far" Mizuiro said.
"Yes I know, there doesn't seem to be many of us from outside south East Asia in the academy or from what I hear the thirteen divisions either." Alice said as she sat down joining them for dinner.
"I did see some scary giant of a man with an eye patch that looked like he was" Keigo answered.
"Really? I don't think I've ever seen someone like that around here or in the districts" Alice relied
"Yea, we saw him when we went with Ichigo to some meetings with a group of people in white haori to have his power restored." Keigo continued
Alice choked on her drink
"You mean the thirteen captains?! You three have been in a meeting with them?!"
"Yea but we couldn't even stay in the room for any of it; it was kind of embarrassing but why the surprise? Is it really so strange for us to meet them? We were with Ichigo; he's going to be the next sou-taicho"
Alice choked again
"YES, it is, even family and co-workers of a captain don't normally attend one of those meetings. Kurosaki's going to be the next general? Really? I don't think it's filtered down to the public yet. The only people who probably know at the moment are the Shinigami, wait till the clans find out about this, they are going to throw a tantrum." she answered
"It's the lesser clans isn't it? I heard the one of the taicho say he had the nobility's approval" Tatsuki asked
"Yep, the lesser houses are made up of rich or political influential families. They will do just about anything for a bit of gold or to have a favour in the right place, and Kurosaki has not only made it VERY clear he doesn't work like that but has shown a complete disregard for their social standing." she answered
The group was silent for some time afterwards. Each person involved with their own thoughts as they slowly ate dinner.
"Well whatever comes, comes there is no point worrying about it till something happens. That's assuming we can even help out, as things stand we would be better off keeping quiet so we don't cause trouble for Ichigo" Keigo said
"Yes, in the meantime, will you be joining us for breakfast Fontaine-san? It would be good for Asano-san to have another girl to talk to" Mizuiro asked politely
"Yea it would be good...GAAAAHHH MIZUIRO WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?" Keigo screamed
"Loud, isn't he?" Alice said looking to Tatsuki
"Yea but you get used to it." she replied
someone please tell me if I get something wrong with Alice, I'm Australian not French